{Lydia} (Ludia). Her birthplace was Thyatira in Lydia.
She may have been named after the land, though Lydia is a common
female name (see Horace). Lydia was itself a Macedonian colony
(Strabo, XIII. 4). Thyatira (note plural form like Philippi and
one of the seven churches of Asia here  Re 2:18 ) was famous for
its purple dyes as old as Homer (Iliad, IV. 141) and had a guild
of dyers (hoi bapheis) as inscriptions show. {A seller of
purple} (porphurop(936c)is). A female seller of purple fabrics
(porphura, p(936c)is). Late word, masculine form in an inscription.
There was a great demand for this fabric as it was used on the
official toga at Rome and in Roman colonies. We still use the
term "royal purple." See on 烊u 16:19|. Evidently Lydia was a
woman of some means to carry on such an important enterprise from
her native city. She may have been a freed-woman, since racial
names were often borne by slaves. {One that worshipped God}
(sebomen(8820)ton theon). A God-fearer or proselyte of the gate.
There was a Jewish settlement in Thyatira which was especially
interested in the dyeing industry. She probably became a
proselyte there. Whether this was true of the other women we do
not know. They may have been Jewesses or proselytes like Lydia,
probably all of them employees of hers in her business. When Paul
writes to the Philippians he does not mention Lydia who may have
died meanwhile and who certainly was not Paul's wife. She was
wealthy and probably a widow. {Heard us} ((886b)ouen). Imperfect
active of akou(935c), was listening, really listening and she kept
it up, listening to each of these new and strange preachers.
{Opened} (di(886e)oixen). First aorist active indicative of
dianoig(935c), old word, double compound (dia, ana, oig(935c)) to open
up wide or completely like a folding door (both sides, dia,
two). Only the Lord could do that. Jesus had opened (the same
verb) the mind of the disciples to understand the Scriptures ( Lu
24:45 ). {To give heed} (prosechein). To hold the mind (	on
noun understood), present active infinitive. She kept her mind
centred on the things spoken by Paul whose words gripped her
attention. She rightly perceived that Paul was the foremost one
of the group. He had personal magnetism and power of intellect
that the Spirit of God used to win the heart of this remarkable
woman to Christ. It was worth coming to Philippi to win this fine
personality to the Kingdom of God. She will be the chief spirit
in this church that will give Paul more joy and co-operation than
any of his churches. It is not stated that she was converted on
the first Sabbath, though this may have been the case. "One
solitary convert, a woman, and she already a seeker after God,
and a native of that very Asia where they had been forbidden to
preach" (Furneaux). But a new era had dawned for Europe and for
women in the conversion of Lydia.